CONTROL.CTL (5)

NAME
     control.ctl - specify handling of Usenet control messages

DESCRIPTION
     The file <config$_PATH_CONTROLCTL> (typically /var/news/etc/control.ctl )
     is  used  to  determine  what  action  is taken when a control message is
     received.  It is read by the parsecontrol script, which is called by  all
     the  control scripts.  (For an explanation of how the control scripts are
     invoked, see innd(8) .)

     The file consists of a series of lines; blank lines and  lines  beginning
     with  a number sign (``#'') are ignored.  All other lines consist of four
     fields separated by a colon:
          message:from:newsgroups:action

     The first field is the name of the message for which this line is  valid.
     It  should be either the name of the control message, or the word ``all''
     to mean that it is valid for all messages.

     The second field is a shell-style pattern that matches the email  address
     of  the  person  posting  the  message.   (The  poster's address is first
     converted to lowercase.)  The matching is done  using  the  shell's  case
     statement; see sh (1) for details.

     If the control message is ``newgroup''  or  ``rmgroup''  then  the  third
     field  specifies  the shell-style pattern that must match the group being
     created or removed.  If the control message is of a different type,  then
     this field is ignored.

     The fourth field specifies what action to take if this line  is  selected
     for the message.  The following actions are understood:

     doit The action requested by the control message should be performed.  In
          most   cases   the   control   script   will   also   send  mail  to
          <config$NEWSMASTER> (typically usenet .)

     doifarg
          If the control message  has  an  argument,  this  is  treated  as  a
          ``doit''  action.   If  no  argument  was  given, it is treated as a
          ``mail'' entry.  This is used in ``sendsys'' entries script so  that
          a site can request its own newsfeeds(5)  entry by posting a ``sendsys
          mysite'' article.  On the other hand, sendsys ``bombs'' ask that the
          entire newsfeeds file be sent to a forged reply-to address; by using
          ``doifarg'' such messages will not be processed automatically.

     doit=file
          The action is performed, but a log entry is written to the specified
          log  file,  file.   If  file is the word ``mail'' then the record is
          mailed.  A null string is equivalent to /dev/null.  A pathname  that
          starts  with a slash is taken as the absolute filename to use as the
          log.      All     other      pathnames      are      written      to
          <config$_PATH_MOST_LOGS>/file.log                         (typically
          /var/log/news/file.log.)   The  log  is  written  by  writelog  (see
          newslog(8) ).

     drop No action is taken; the message is ignored.

     log  A one-line log notice is sent  to  standard  error.   Innd  normally
          directs  this   to   the   file   <config$_PATH_ERRLOG>   (typically
          /var/log/news/errlog.)

     log=file
          A log entry is written to the specified log  file,  file,  which  is
          interpreted as described above.

     mail A mail message is sent to the news administrator.

     Lines are matched in order; the last match found in the file is  the  one
     that is used.  For example, with the following three lines:
          newgroup:*:*:drop
          newgroup:tale@*.uu.net:comp.*|misc.*|news.*|rec.*|sci.*|soc.*|talk.*:doit
          newgroup:kre@munnari.oz.au:aus.*:mail
     A newgroup coming from ``tale'' at a UUNET machine will be honored if  it
     is  in  the  mainstream  Usenet  hierarchy.   If ``kre'' posts a newgroup
     message creating ``aus.foo'', then mail will be sent.  All other newgroup
     messages are ignored.

HISTORY
     Written by Rich $alz  <rsalz@uunet.uu.net>  for  InterNetNews.   This  is
     revision 1.8, dated 1996/09/06.

SEE ALSO
     innd(8) , newsfeeds(5) , scanlogs(8) .